Almond Tea Cakes

These are extremely light and delicious. I like them hot, straight out of the oven, without the extra dusted sugar. It's a little chewy and sticky, just the way I like my tea cakes! This recipe is from En-Ming Hsu, Executive Pastry Chef at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 12 tea cakes

Ingredients

• 4  ounces granulated sugar
• 2  ounces  blanched almonds, ground fine
• 3  tablespoons cake flour
• 4  egg whites, divided use
• 1  tablespoon heavy cream
•  confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease mini muffin tins and set aside.
3. Sift 2 ounces of the sugar, ground almonds and cake flour in a bowl.
4. Add 1 egg white to form a paste.
5. In another bowl, whip the 3 egg whites until soft peaks form.
6. Gradually add the remaining sugar.
7. Continue to whip until the meringue is strong but not dry.
8. Fold the meringue into the almond paste mixture and add the heavy cream at the end.
9. Mix well.
10. Fill the prepapred mini muffin tins half full.
11. Bake promptly in the pre-heated oven until golden, approximately 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the molds.
12. Cool the tea cakes about 5 minutes before unmolding them on a wire rack.
13. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.
14. Store cakes in an airtight container.